This invention relates to medico-surgical instruments.
The invention is more particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with dual-lumen oocyte needles.
Oocyte needles are used to extract one or more oocyte from women for use in assisted reproduction procedures. The patient end of the needle is inserted in the ovary and gentle suction is applied to the other end so that the oocyte is sucked along the needle into a suitable receptacle. Some oocyte needles are dual lumen, that is, they have a smaller lumen in addition to the main suction lumen along which an irrigating or flushing fluid can be supplied to facilitate oocyte collection. The needles are made of metal and the machine or proximal end is terminated with a hub, usually of a plastics material by which connection can be made to both the suction lumen and the irrigating lumen. Such dual-lumen needles are sold, for example, by Rocket Limited of Watford, England and by Cook IVF of Queensland, Australia. It is important that the passage through the needle and hub is atraumatic for the oocyte, that there is no risk of leakage and that the instrument is easy to use. There are other medico-surgical instruments having a dual-lumen tubular member terminated at one end by a hub by which connection can be made to both lumens.